Community Rallies Around Family Of CT Navy Vet, Father Of 4 Killed In Tragic Crash Community Rallies Around Family Of CT Navy Vet, Father Of 4 Killed In Tragic Crash
Community Rallies Around Family Of CT Navy Vet, Father Of 4 Killed In Tragic Crash Robert Jones was a man of quiet dignity and big heart, his loved ones said. Someone who was always ready with a joke, a smile, or a helping hand. Now, after the 63-year-old father of four was tragically killed in a head-on crash earlier this month in Westbrook, his family needs the same support he freely gave. “Bob was an amazing man,” said family member Shannon Smith. “He was quiet, lighthearted, and unassuming. He served his country in the Navy. He earned his master's degree without fanfare so that he could provide for his family. He was a very hard worker. Above all, he was a family man.…
Police ID CT Woman Hit, Killed By Train As 63-Year-Old Police ID CT Woman Hit, Killed By Train As 63-Year-Old
Police ID CT Woman Hit, Killed By Train As 63-Year-Old Authorities have identified the woman who was killed over the weekend when an Amtrak train crashed into her in Niantic.  Fanie Gore, 63, of Niantic, was struck in the area of Columbus Avenue around 4 p.m. Saturday, June 21, police said.  Original Statement: Pedestrian Hit, Killed In Amtrak Train Strike Investigators said she was trespassing on the tracks when she was hit. It's unclear how she got into that area or why.  None of the 389 passengers or crew on the Boston to Washington, D.C. train were hurt in the incident, Amtrak has said. The Office of the Chief Me…
CT Motorcyclist Killed After Hitting Deer, Struck by Oncoming Vehicle: 'Devastating Loss' CT Motorcyclist Killed After Hitting Deer, Struck by Oncoming Vehicle: 'Devastating Loss'
CT Motorcyclist Killed After Hitting Deer, Struck by Oncoming Vehicle: 'Devastating Loss' A motorcyclist was killed after he was thrown from his bike after hitting a deer, before an oncoming car ran over him, authorities said.  Philip Labonte, 37, of Thomaston, was riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle on Route 69 in Bethany Monday night, June 23, around 9:30 p.m. when he struck the deer, Connecticut State Police said.  The impact threw him from the motorcycle and onto the highway.  A 37-year-old Prospect man in a Subaru Impreza passed through the area a few moments later and crashed into Labonte's body.  Labonte was pronounced dead at the scene.  The…
Missing Retired CT Detective Found Dead At Home, Buried Beneath Hoarded Trash: Report Missing Retired CT Detective Found Dead At Home, Buried Beneath Hoarded Trash: Report
Missing Retired CT Detective Found Dead At Home, Buried Beneath Hoarded Trash: Report The body of a retired Connecticut detective was found in her home eight months after she was reported missing, buried under mountains of garbage, reports said.  Mary A. Notarangelo, 73, was found in her Toll Gate Road house in Glastonbury in February after a biohazard cleaning company was called in to clean up the property. They located her body when crews used an excavator to remove the floor-to-ceiling piles of hoarded trash, CT Insider reported this week. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has not determined how she died.  Glastonbury police had searched the ho…
Police ID Retired Officer, Marines As Man Who Died In Fire: 'We Will Miss Him Immensely' Police ID Retired Officer, Marines As Man Who Died In Fire: 'We Will Miss Him Immensely'
Police ID Retired Officer, Marines As Man Who Died In Fire: 'We Will Miss Him Immensely' A respected veteran, longtime police officer, father, and grandfather died in a house fire that tore through his home on Washington Avenue in Revere earlier this week, officials said. Richard Serino, 77, was killed when flames engulfed part of his multi-family home on Tuesday, June 17, authorities said.  Serino was a retired Revere police officer with decades on the force. He served in the Marines before joining the police department.  “This is a very sad day for the Revere Fire Department and the City of Revere,” Acting Revere Fire Chief James E. Cullen. “Mr. Serino was beloved …
CT Hiker Dies After Collapsing On Trail Despite Rescue, Airlift Efforts CT Hiker Dies After Collapsing On Trail Despite Rescue, Airlift Efforts
CT Hiker Dies After Collapsing On Trail Despite Rescue, Airlift Efforts A hiker collapsed and later died while trekking a trail in the White Mountains in New Hampshire, prompting a dramatic rescue effort that included a military helicopter and backcountry first responders. Richard Perrault, 70, of Clinton, was hiking alone on the Valley Way Trail when he suddenly collapsed around 1:30 p.m. on Monday, June 16, according to New Hampshire Fish and Game Conservation Officers. Fellow hikers who saw what happened immediately rushed to him and began CPR after calling 911. Because of the trail's remote location, which is nearly three miles from the nearest road, rescue…
'An Amazing Man': CT Community Rallies Around Family Of Man Killed In Freak Workplace Accident 'An Amazing Man': CT Community Rallies Around Family Of Man Killed In Freak Workplace Accident
'An Amazing Man': CT Community Rallies Around Family Of Man Killed In Freak Workplace Accident A Connecticut community is rallying around the family of a 60-year-old man who was killed last week in a freak accident while working on a sewer pipe.  Michael Dirocco, of Norwich, was working at a home on Hamilton Court in Norwich around 6:15 p.m. on Friday, June 13, authorities said. He was working for a private company to dig the trench that stretched 90 feet and was five feet wide and deep when it suddenly collapsed onto him, authorities said.  It was meant to connect the home to the city's sewer line.  Paramedics rushed him to an area hospital, but doctors were unable t…
‘He Lived Life To Fullest’: Father Of 2 ID'd As Victim In Fatal, Intentional Hit-Run Crash ‘He Lived Life To Fullest’: Father Of 2 ID'd As Victim In Fatal, Intentional Hit-Run Crash
‘He Lived Life To Fullest’: Father Of 2 ID'd As Victim In Fatal, Intentional Hit-Run Crash A 44-year-old father of two who police say was the victim of an intentional hit-and-run crash in West Hartford has died from his injuries, and now his family is asking for the public’s help. John Marczak, a Plainville resident and Newington native, was struck by a vehicle near 202 South Main St. in West Hartford on June 7, according to police. He died of his injuries three days later, on June 10. Juan Pablo Novoa, 22, is accused of intentionally hitting Marczak with his car, prosecutors said during a court hearing earlier this month, according to the CT Post. Novoa is currently charged with…
Police ID Motorcyclist Killed In CT I-95 Crash; Body Wasn't Found For 12 Hours Police ID Motorcyclist Killed In CT I-95 Crash; Body Wasn't Found For 12 Hours
Police ID Motorcyclist Killed In CT I-95 Crash; Body Wasn't Found For 12 Hours The body of a 31-year-old motorcyclist who died after crashing into a metal post on I-95 went undiscovered for nearly 12 hours, Connecticut State Police said. Jose Febus Rivera, of Hamden, was riding his motorcycle between 12:30 a.m. and 1:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 12, when he crashed near the Milford Parkway exit (Exit 38)on I-95 north, according to authorities. Investigators believe Rivera veered into a grassy area off the exit, where he struck a metal reflector post and several sand barrels. The collision ejected him and the motorcycle down an embankment into a nearby wooded area. Milfo…
Community Rallies Around Family Of CT Air Traffic Controller Who Died At Work At 33 Community Rallies Around Family Of CT Air Traffic Controller Who Died At Work At 33
Community Rallies Around Family Of CT Air Traffic Controller Who Died At Work At 33 Hundreds of people have donated to help a Connecticut family after their father and husband died unexpectedly while at work.  Mario Villegas of East Granby was just 33 years old when he passed away last week, leaving behind his wife, Britnee, and their two young children, Luca and Milo. A GoFundMe for his family has raised nearly $70,000 as of Wednesday afternoon, June 4.  Organizers of the fundraiser said Villegas was a kind and caring man who always put his family first.  Mario was, above all, a devoted family man whose greatest joy came from sharing life's moments with th…
Retired CT Hero Officer Dies After Battle With Cancer: 'We Will Miss Him Every Day' Retired CT Hero Officer Dies After Battle With Cancer: 'We Will Miss Him Every Day'
Retired CT Hero Officer Dies After Battle With Cancer: 'We Will Miss Him Every Day' A highly decorated, retired Greenwich police officer and US Marine — widely supported by the community during his battle with brain cancer — has passed away. He was just 63 years old. Robert Hansen Jr., the son of a retired Greenwich detective, joined the department in 1987 after serving in the Marine Corps. He served with distinction until his retirement in 2016 and continued his commitment to public service as a special officer even after stepping down, the department said.  Hansen gained local acclaim in 2009 after he saved an elderly woman who became lost during a snowstorm. He fou…
Community Remembers CT Mom Killed In Crash: 'She Lit Up The Room With Her Laugh' Community Remembers CT Mom Killed In Crash: 'She Lit Up The Room With Her Laugh'
Community Remembers CT Mom Killed In Crash: 'She Lit Up The Room With Her Laugh' A 45-year-old Connecticut woman who died after her car struck a utility pole earlier this month is being remembered for her sense of humor, compassion, and kindness to loved ones and strangers alike. Vanessa Pettengill, 45, of Norwich, was killed Tuesday, May 7, after her SUV went off the road on Fort Hill Road in Groton, between Depot Road and South Road, authorities said. Paramedics rushed her to Lawrence + Memorial Hospital, where doctors pronounced her dead, according to Groton police. The Danbury High School graduate leaves behind two children and a large extended family whom she cared…